From 16 to 18 January, the partners of the SmartPlay project held their first in-person meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia, marking the official start of an innovative European initiative aimed at keeping girls in sport.

The main goal of the SmartPlay project is to reduce dropout rates among girls aged 12 to 18 in sports clubs and to encourage their long-term participation in sport and physical activity. As young people grow older, their motivation and opportunities to stay active often decline. This drop is especially noticeable among girls, which makes it essential to develop targeted strategies that support them in continuing organised sport for as long as possible.

Research shows that young athletes stop doing sport for several common reasons, including: feeling that they are not good enough; difficulty balancing sport, school and private life; boredom or loss of interest in the sport; and negative experiences during training or competitions. For girls in particular, additional challenges often play a role, such as: lack of self-confidence and feelings of self-consciousness; and physical and emotional challenges related to menstrual cycles, which can affect training and performance.

The SmartPlay project addresses these challenges by using artificial intelligence (AI) as a powerful prevention tool. Through AI-driven data analysis, the project will identify early signs of disengagement, such as a drop in motivation or performance. This approach allows coaches to intervene early, instead of reacting only after problems have already led to dropout.